I will be doing my essay over why I think that open adoption
is better than a closed adoption. My husband and I had an extremely hard time
deciding what we would do about this problem before we became foster parents. Even
though I did my adoption through DHS (DHS only does closed adoption, from what
I have been told) we were given the opportunity to allow our son to have a
relationship with his siblings. My son and his siblings do not see their
biological parents but in the future when they decide to straighten their lives
up I would allow them to see him. I do keep up with them because I know that
someday he will have questions and I want him to have them answered.
Open adoption can provide a child with a sense of connection
and completeness. Openness may answer many of the questions that adopted children
in closed adoptions often struggle to answer such as: Who am I? What are my
birth parents like? Why was I placed for adoption?
The possible benefits of open adoption for a child include—
Having links to his or her birth mother, and possibly birth
father, brothers, and sisters. The ability to be able to do away with the need
to search for the birth family when the child is old enough to understand, and may
have many questions that the adoptive parents are not able to answer. Being able
to remove the feelings of secrecy and shame that can come up at different points
in his or her life, although not all of the time. Increased self-worth, sense
of identity, and security that comes from firsthand answers to identity
questions. Having a sense of belonging which may lessen the child’s feelings of
abandonment. Connection to the child’s cultural, ethnic background, and ancestry.
Better access to important medical information, such as factors that can lead
to disease, or medical conditions that exist in the birth families. Better understanding
of the reasons for placement into the adopted family’s home. A sense of knowing
that the child may look like someone else or has characteristics that comes
from a blood connection.
Although the assignment is for me to argue with you on this subject I am not... My son has a little sister by his father and another woman, DHS took the other womans four children from her twice ( which included my sons little sister and brother) In some strange legal action DHS returned her two little boys and adopted out the little girls to the same foster parents. The mother had completely turned her life around, and is still to this day an awesome mom. I never understood how the state she was fit to have two of her children but not all four.(the kids were taken for drug abuse by the mother)However, the foster parents who adopted the girls have an open arrangements with the mom. For that I am so thankful because my son was really upset when he thought he would never see his little half sister again. Adoption affects so many. It can indeed be a blessing if handled correctly. I am glad my son will have the oppertunity to see his little sister grow and remain a part of her life.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I can not argue with you either. I believe open adoption is a good thing in certain situations. I believe you should never lie to a child,because in a long road they would resent you for that. I believe it is important for the children to have a relationship with their siblings. Being in a new home is very traumatic for a child, and a huge adjustment. If they continued to have a relationship with their siblings, they would have someone to confide in and relate to. So over all open adoption is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure how I would feel about this issue. I think it would have to depend on the parent’s situation on whether or not I would allow them to be involved with my child. However, I would definitely want my child to stay connected with their siblings if they were given opportunity to.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be hard to let "my" child basically have two mothers and two fathers. I personally think it would cause confusion for the child. I think the parents who adopted the child should keep up with the child's biological family. The child may want to learn more about his or her parents once he or she gets older. I would not allow contact with the biological parents while the child was still young though. I think that is the best solution.
ReplyDelete